Month: April 2018

Resources for Public Charter Schools Regarding Walk-ins, Strikes and Teacher Pay

Post author By
Post date April 23, 2018

By Megan Gilbertson

The Arizona Charter Schools Association strongly supports Governor Ducey’s teacher pay proposal, which by 2020 will increase average teacher salaries by 20 percent. This plan is positive news for Arizona’s teachers and classrooms, and is a real step in the right direction.

As Arizona’s largest charter support organization, we also strive to share resources with our charter school members to ensure they have the tools and guidance available to provide the best possible education for the 185,000 students attending one of their 556 public charter schools.

The resources include legal guidance, FAQs, and sample communications to staff and families.

Access the Resources

Association Blog

Arizona Charter Students Boast Larger NAEP Gains than Any State

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Post date April 20, 2018

By Eric Berschback

Recently released results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that Arizona’s public charter school students have posted greater scale score gains than any individual state, from 2009 to 2017. The data show that when measured as their own “state”, Arizona charter students outpaced the gains realized by their state level peers in all four major tested subjects: fourth grade reading and math, as well as eighth grade reading and math.

Tags accountability, Arizona, Central Phoenix, Chandler, Charter, charter schools, East Valley, Flagstaff, K-12, Kingman, Phoenix, Politics, Tucson

Press Releases

Charter Association Supports Teacher Pay Proposal

Post author By
Post date April 13, 2018

Below is a statement in support of Governor Ducey’s teacher pay proposal from Eileen B. Sigmund, President and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

“Governor Ducey’s plan to grant Arizona teachers a 20 percent pay increase by 2020 is a home run. This is exactly the kind of leadership Arizona needs at a time when our schools are telling us about their difficulties recruiting and retaining the best teachers.

“On behalf of the Arizona Charter Schools Association and the more than 550 public charter schools educating 185,000 students across our state, we urge legislators to move quickly in supporting Governor Ducey’s proposal.”

Find out more about the proposal here.

Press Releases

Arizona Charter School Students Continue to Set the Pace for Academic Improvement, Achievement

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Post date April 10, 2018

The scores released today from the National Assessment for Educational Progress show charter students significantly outperforming district and private school peers across the state.

The results show significant gains over the last eight years, with public charter students outperforming their district and private school peers in every grade level and on every subject tested. This trend is most evident in the scores for eighth-grade reading and math. When separated and measured as if they were their own state, Arizona charter students rank first in the nation in eighth-grade math, and second for eighth-grade reading.

“These results reinforce what thousands of Arizona parents, families, educators and school choice champions have known for years: when it comes to academic performance, Arizona’s public charter school students are setting the pace,” said Eileen B. Sigmund, Arizona Charter Schools Association President and CEO.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nations Report Card, is the only national look at academic achievement across states.

“While there will always be room for improvement when it comes to educating our students, these NAEP scores are further validation that Arizona charter schools are raising the bar and improving public education statewide,” said Sigmund.